Vikings Introduce Mike Zimmer

Zimmer is the third head coach hired since owners Zygi and Mark Wilf bought the team in 2005 and spent the last five seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals as defensive coordinator and has been in the league for two decades.

"I am a Midwest guy. I grew up in an area very similar to this watching NFC North football, the black and blue division. I was hunting and fishing in areas very similar to around here. I want Vikings football to be a tough, smart and aggressive team that plays with passion and that works relentlessly for one common goal. I pride myself in making each player better with technique, and teaching them every aspect of the game," Zimmer said on Friday.

The Vikings finished 5-10-1 this season and Zimmer is working on putting together a coaching staff that believes in his philosophy.

"I want our fans to be proud of the way we play - tough, resilient, physical football and a team that makes big plays and represents them on the field and in the community," an excited Zimmer said. "We don’t win alone. We win as a team and I am determined to bring a championship to Minnesota and I can’t wait to get to work."

As for the current roster, Zimmer likes what he's taking over.

"l think we have a great group of young core talent. Obviously we have some very, very special players and we are still in the evaluation process of all of those things," he said. "What we are trying to do is to get everybody together, the scouts, Scott Studwell, George Paton and everybody in this organization has done a fantastic job of evaluating a lot of guys. So I think we want to just make sure to continue down that road."